Natural Remedies for Gallbladder Attacks

Ted's Lemon Bicarbonate Formula

Posted by Edlon (Memphis, Tn) on 04/02/2010
★★★★★

after going to the dr.s and being told my gall bladder needed to be removed i tried teds lemon bicarb cure and it worked for me! i used limes instead of lemons and used a 1/4 tsp of baking soda twice a day at first. now i take it once a day or every other day. my gall bladder attacks weren't s bad as i've read and heard about other folk's. anything is worth trying before letting the dr.s cut on you. am glad i found E.C. and ted's help. thanks for being here.

Ted's Lemon Bicarbonate Formula

Posted by Tamra (L.a., Ca) on 01/15/2010
★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I tried this same lemon and bicarbonate cure when I was having symptoms of gallbladder pain and abdominal fullness. It really did help the pain right away, though it came back a few days later, however it did cause diahrrea for several hours. I have tried this several times now and each time it helps the pain but causes the diahrea. I also have IBS and fibromyalgia, candida I am sure, plus a Hx of cancer,seizures (not recently) and M.S. Don't want to take it daily if it is going to cause diahrrea each day. Is this a bad thing or could it be cleansing in a way I need? Thanks in advance

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Ej (Middleboro, Ma) on 01/06/2010

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm in week 3 of this attack which is coming and going now. Gone at the moment, enough to make me think I can leave for my vacation on Friday.

Since my emergency room stay, where they told me it could be shingles or "something metastasized into the area" - loved that one - I've had a hydascan: normal function and no stones, two chest xrays: nothing, a CT scan on abd and pelvis (mostly looking for kidney stones): nothing. (Yes, I'm glowing a bit at this point from all the radiation) More acupunture, which helps temporarily. NO ONE knows what this is, even though it's obviously classic GB pain. I'm at my wits end with the medical establishment and can't believe this is what we are all paying for - soon to pay more with this Federal bill. All these tests are what drives the cost up, but the tests obviously DON'T WORK.

I've been drinking Apple juice mixed with carrot juice which makes me very gassy and exacerbates the pain. I don't know what to eat anymore.

I've used:
castor oil packs,
ACV,
lemon juice with olive oil,
stonebreaker,
gallstonex,
chinese herbs.
I take Mag citrate every night as a rule.
Use heating pad front and back alternating.
Have taken hot baths with Epsom salts
Use rebounder to move lymph fluid
Charcoal for gas - this really works!

I typically eat very low fat (less than 20 grams per day),Veggies, fruit, chicken or fish; next to no dairy or grain, so am perplexed at why this is happening at all. What more can I do to my diet to make my body work correctly? I've spent a fortune over and above my insurance premiums to try to stay well. It's disheartening and scary.

Well, enough of this rant. I'm going to try some more of your suggestions and hope that I don't end up in some Caribbean hospital over the next week or so.

My Best to you all!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Shanti (Bangkok, Thailand) on 12/25/2009

Ej, Hopefully you are feeling better by now, but I thought I would say what works for me. I have been having Gallbladder attacks several times a month for over 15 years. I won't go into the list of things I have done long term that have helped right now, but what definitely helps me when an attack is taking place is Epsom Salts. It is the most vile tasting stuff on Earth, so I put it in capsules and take at least 5, sometimes up to 20, depending on the severity of the attack. I am pretty sensitive by now to how much I need to take. It helps for sure. It also causes the runs, but it's MORE than worth it! It doesn't always work quickly (sometimes it does), but always eventually. The Epsom Salts allows the bile ducts to relax. I am like you, no stones come up on multiple tests and no other issues either, though I have done well over 50 liver flushes and got multiple stones and other CRAZY stuff out of my liver/gallbladder over the years (including parasites). All this has been part of what has worked for me. Now that I am posting I will also say that there is an Amazonian herb called Stonebreaker (Phyllanthus niruri) which is supposed to heal the gallbladder and help remove stones. It has had amazing success rates in studies. I ordered some of this and took it (about a table spoon of powdered herb) during attacks and it definitely seemed to help! This is not the prescribed way to use it. You are meant to use it long term, but I went overseas and didn't take it with me, so I can't report on its long term effects. I will do it again when I get back.

Over the years the severity of my attacks has reduced very substantially... I rarely have an attack these days that has me begging for death, but that used to be very frequent a few years ago.

ACV sometimes helps me a little bit, but not enough to write home about (during an attack). Hot tea with lots of honey is a great help always, if only to calm me down. I sometimes drink litres of this during an attack.

Here are a few other things that have helped during bad attacks:

- enemas
- charcoal
- magnesium tablets (from the pharmacy)
- HOT HOT baths
- massage of area and the same area on the back
- doing a Hulda Clark liver flush during the attack sometimes releases the spasm
- sugar seems to help so sometimes I eat cough lollies if I don't have honey on hand to put in herbal tea.
- hot coffee sometimes can help (I have had no luck with coffee enemas during an attack)
- lying on a very hot surface or using hot water bottles front and back.
- Sounds silly, but sometimes TV is a great distraction during an attack. I don't normally watch it at all, but during an attack the distraction can help the relaxing of the gallbladder area in my experience.
- lying on my left side so the gallbladder can drain is less painful than on the right side normally.
- I used to have a yoga teacher who could stop an attack in its tracks with some very skillful manipulation/massage. It took him about 5 minutes to release the spasm and I was all good! :) Sorry I don't have his details anymore.

I have tried the flax remedy above with no luck, but I know many have benefited from it. Flax tends to make my gallbladder flare up more, whether it's oil or gel or seeds/flour. But that's only me perhaps.

I hope some of this helps. I know the desperation of a bad GB attack and would have loved to have known all this 15 years ago.

I wish you all the best!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Kelly (Cincinnati, Ohio) on 12/24/2009

To EJ from Middleborro, Ma (12/23/09) something that helped me lessen the pain of a gallbladder attack was to put 1 tbsp of flax seed in a pan w/ 2-1/2 c,of water and boil for 5 minutes. Then pour the top off(containing flax seed oil) and sip. I added a little cinnamon and truvia to taste. It really helped! Also, check out gallbladderattack.com for further info on diet changes. You don't need to grind the flax seed to get the oil out, just boil it for tea, or put a tbsp. of flax seed with a cup of water in a clear jar in the fridge and by morning the water(pure water) will have leached out the oil and will be ready to use( not for cooking). can be used on food as an addition(oatmeal salads,etc.) as a source of omega-3 fatty acids (as there is in fish). gallbladderattack.com has alot of good info for sufferers. they might be able to help you identify triggers as, they can be different from person to person. I felt like I was having a heart attack with mine. don't give up on a naturopath. Google your area and find another one. You may have just gotten one with an attitude (just what you need when you are sick huh.) I hope this helps. Many Blessings.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Ej (Middleboro, Ma) on 12/23/2009
★☆☆☆☆

I'm in the midst of what I believe is a gallbladder attack now that had me in the hospital on Saturday. Ultrsound showed nothing, so they escorted me out. I've never had pain like this, even with kidney stones. I tried Belladonna and followed with acupuncture which seemed to work yesterday, but BD alone is not working today. My acupuncturist is now off for the holiday. I've tried ACV and have been drinking warm apple juice only for days but it doesn't relieve the pain. I've read a lot of literature on flushes and had been using gallstonex (with artichoke) but am concerned about trying to increase bile flow while I have this pain. Not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions would be welcome. The allopaths don't seem to care.

Lavender Oil

Posted by Jill (Bronx, New York, United States) on 12/17/2009
★★★★★

Biliary Pain (Gallbladder, Sphincter of Oddi, Pancreatitis)

Although I had my gallbladder removed 9 months ago, I still get the classic "attack" pain every now and then. While I will get this checked out with my doctor (it is most likely a 'Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction') in the meantime I discovered a fantastic remedy that relieves the pain within SECONDS.

One drop of pure 100% essential oil of Lavender in a tall glass of water. Sip it slowly and steadily. I went from doubled over and delirious in pain to blissful relief in no less than 30 seconds (and have not had an attack since). I make sure I always have some on hand just in case though. A nice side-effect was it relaxed me so much I enjoyed a lovely afternoon nap! Lavender is on the FDA "GRAS" List (generally recognized as safe) for ingestion. Make sure whatever brand you purchase is 100% pure essential oil (not diluted with jojoba or other carrier oils... those would not be suitable for ingestion).

Pickle Juice

Posted by Lyn (Huntsville, Ohio) on 11/24/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Whenever I felt a gall bladder attack coming on, I would drink about a quarter cup of regular (not kosher) dill pickle juice or eat a lemon and I found that within minutes the pain and nausea were gone.

Flax Seeds

Posted by Jeanne (New York, NY) on 10/25/2009

Kelly's flax tea recipe caught my eye just in time. I just finished my first cup of flax seed tea after eating a very rich Indian dinner earlier tonight, which was starting to give me shooting gall bladder pain! I added half a cinnamon stick to the tea after it had boiled and a half teaspoon of blackstrap molasses since I don't like stevia's after-taste. Yummy! Too soon to tell if it has worked or not, but I think I will make a habit of drinking this regularly. My skin feels softer already. Thanks Kelly!

P.S. I did not grind the seeds before boiling them.

Flax Seeds

Posted by Kelly (Cincinnati, Ohio) on 10/25/2009
★★★★★

a good remedy for gall bladder pain is to take 1 TBSP of flax seed with 2 1/2 cups of water and boil for 5min. pour off flax seed oil (rich in omega-3 fatty acids, life fish) and drink. I put some cinnamon and truvia (plant based sweetner) to taste and sip till gone. It really helped. alot of websites tell you to grind flax seed, but if you don't have a grinder, just take what you need for a week( in recipes et.),and put 1 tbsp. flax seed/1 to 1-1/2 cups water in a clear jar w/ a lid and refridgerate overnight (use distilled or spring wate of course). the flax oil will leach out and rise to the top by morning------- for the gall bladder attack though, boil and drink like a tea ASAP. It helped me. don't store too long in fridge.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lettuce

Posted by Kelly (Cincinnati, Oh) on 10/18/2009
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

lettuce is a great remedy for some to alleviate indigestion, but for someone with a bad gallbladder it can make things WORSE. Be careful!

Lemon and Lime Juice in Hot Water

Posted by Ellen (Gainesville, Fl) on 10/07/2009
★★★★★

Gall bladder pain: Lemon and lime juice in hot water

I have had mild to severe gall bladder pain for years. A recent spell of attacks was so bad that I could hardly sleep. My GP scheduled me for an abdominal ultrasound which revealed that I am "full of gallstones" and I was urged to have my gall bladder removed. Instead, I consulted with my acupuncturist who told me to drink the juice of a whole lime and a whole lemon squeezed into hot water every morning. I couldn't quite take the taste of the whole lime and lemon all at once so I broke mine up into a morning drink of 1/2 lemon plus 1/2 a lime in hot water (sometimes brewed with my organic green tea to add some flavor) and then again at night before I go to sleep. After 2-3 days, my pain was reduced by 75%. Within a week I was experiencing mild twinges only. Now, after 3 weeks, I am pain free and I am losing weight!

I've also been eating a lot of organic apples and grapes (good for flushing the liver) and I have cut out dairy, wheat, and all fried or processed foods. I feel lighter and my belly is shrinking daily!

My acupuncturist has said that the reason I wasn't able to lose weight is because my body can't metabolize the fat properly and removing my gall bladder would have been the worst thing to do and would NOT have solved my problems at all.

Celery and Mint Leaves, Lemon Juice

Posted by Rossana (Toronto, Ontario, Cnada) on 07/01/2009
★★★★★

For gallbladder attacks, or when you feel it coming, boil water and in a 250ml cup add fresh celery leaves, mint leaves and 1/2 lemon juice and drink it gradually. This may cut down the pain from regularly 3 hours to 1 hour. I have been scheduled for surgery in August and had been using this as backup.

Lecithin

Posted by Sarah (Orlando, FL) on 05/20/2009
★★★★★

After my first gall bladder attack, I began experiencing chronic gall bladder pain in the way of a constant ache in my back on the right side below my shoulder blade. After doing some reading about natural cures for gall bladder issues, I decided to start with Lecithin. Within a few weeks of taking (not pill form) Lecithin Granules in yogurt, my pain was almost completely gone. I started taking it in 2005 and it's now 2009. And so far I haven't had another attack. Sometimes I do experience a small ache after eating cold dairy or a fatty meal, but once I take a dose of lecithin the ache goes away. The other thing I want to stress is that changes in the diet must be made as well. Eat low fat meals, cut down on sugar, dairy and caffeine. I have found that organic dairy products are less likely to cause gall bladder pain. My Lecithin dose was twice a day. Two teaspoons in the morning and two teaspoons in the afternoon. I did this for a year, then after wards cut back to every other day, and then gradually down to a few times a week.

B12 Vitamins

Posted by Janie (Mattoon, Illinois) on 01/05/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

First of all I absolutely love this website! It is so helpful and... eye-openingly refreshing!

I am a vegetarian and know the importance of getting protein especially. Little did I know until later that I wasn't getting enough protein when I thought all along I had! Last year I went through a sleugh of tests to try and figure out why I was having this God-awful stabbing,jabbing pain directly below my right rib cage which to me, felt like a heart attack. It seemed to flair up an hour or two after a meal. I also suffer from Gerd so I would somehow associate it with that. But, I would have this uncomfortable pain consistantly every day -And it was more apparent at night or in the wee hours of the morn. My doc thought it might be gallbladder so I underwent tests for that. They came back Negative. During the many visits and not to mention the dollars spent trying to get to the bottom of what was causing that pain - I decided to get up on the internet to try and find the answer myself. Realizing that I am a vegetarian and have been for many years, I checked out everything food related and that I needed in the way of nutrtion, that was beneficial to my living this vegan lifestyle.

During the research I found that a lack of B12 could be the cause for this sharp, unexplained pain that I was having - and I had been having it for more than a year or so - Anyways. to make this long story short, I went back to the doc. Told her what I found that might be causing this pain - She ordered up a blood test and found out that I was deficient in B12! She didn't want to give me the shots so I was put on B12 supplements that she recommended from the health food store ( Must contain methylcollomin - check my spelling on that word though ok?) - Anyways,after taking the 1,000 mcg's of B12 - 2 a day at first - now down to one,the pain was gone almost immediately (with-in a week I'd say) and remains to be gone to this day!!!! Yeah.... The brand I take is B12 Infusion by Enzymatic, for those of you who might be interested. Thanks for letting me share my story.

Lecithin

Posted by Rose Fenton (Bournemouth, England) on 12/24/2008
★☆☆☆☆

Have just read about lecithin helping gall-stones, and I have been taking lecithin in granules for about a year, mixed in foods, but am still getting gall-bladder attacks. I have five small stone in the gall-bladder and one stone blocking the bile-duct. I also take plenty of apple juice and other juices and also milk-thistle and aloe vera juice. As I am very ill and weak anyway with a muscle disease, I want to avoid surgery if at all possible. Can anyone suggest anything else to ease these attacks. I went about 6 months without any and they have all started again.

Nutmeg, Cream of Tarter, Lemon Juice

Posted by Jo Nelson (La Grande, Oregon USA) on 10/24/2008
★★★★★

The Gallbladder and slow bile flow

Nutmeg, Cream of Tartar & Lemon Juice.

I had my Gallbladder removed in 1985. Since then, I sometimes experience a Cholic after eating certain foods. I try to remember to take Bile Salts or Digestive Enzymes before I eat something that I know may cause this problem...but sometimes I forget. When the Cholic hits me, it is in the right side about the area of the surgery scar. Sometimes, I can actually feel a "gas lump". If it is really bad, it will go up into my shoulder and neck right to the base of my head and HURT.

I take 1/2 baking soda and apply a hot rice bag to the area for quick relief.

My friend is a Clinical Nutritionist and she gave me this remedy to thin the bile flow so that my body gets the bile it needs.

For 5 mornings, I take this recipe.
1/4 teas. nutmeg
1/4 teas. cream of tartar
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup warm water.

It doesn't taste bad and you will find that your digestion improves and the gas pockets go away.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lettuce

Posted by Zella Sauer (Terre Haute, Indiana) on 09/17/2008
★★★★★

Hello, First let me say I love this site!

I plan to try many many things here.

I came here because of a gallbladder attack. I was sooo sick with this last attack, and I am not working and have no medical insurance. So I started out with AVC in apple juice and wow !! I felt much better (((but a very wonderful side effect occurred, which I wasn't expecting.... I have been holding water a lot lately in my ankles, and I have been drinking lots of water to help rid my body and eating very little to no salt, but still some puffiness.... I have been using ACV for 3 days now and my ankles and lower legs are TINY again !!! I can't believe it !!!) I have since then been reading all the wonderful things ACV does so I am a believer and will be taking it from now on.))) I did start out drinking the regular kind from the store in apple juice, but I have bought the organic ACV now...

My second subject is LETTUCE. I wanted faster relief on my gallbladder and eating a chunk of lettuce makes your stomach and gas build up from all of this ease down quite fast ...and it works! THANKS

My third subject is comfrey.... comfrey has many many used more than just bones.... I have it growing in my yard, and ((of course I haven;t been using it for about 1 month)) but that was me being dumb))) anyway I have a whole read out on comfrey and all of it's cures... but it may be too long for here. One thing it is for is the digestive system in your body. I usually cut me about 8 to 10 leafs each morning and bring them to a simmer and eat them. They are delicious and taste like rough spinach. My mom drinks comfrey tea. It is supposed to heal any upsets in your digestive track from your stomach right on down to your bowls, and ground comfry root is powerful stuff. Here is a small readout on just a few of it's healing powers......

((Tea of the leaves or decoction of the root was traditionally used for arthritis, respiratory problems, persistent coughs, pleurisy, bronchitis, bronchial pneumonia, lung disease with dry cough, lung congestion, quinsy, whooping cough, consumption, metritis, periostitis, gastrointestinal ulcers, ulcerative colitis, internal hemorrhage (lungs, bowel, stomach), bleeding piles, bloody urine, bladder infections, prostate infections, cystitis, leukorrhea, excessive menstrual flow, scrofula, anemia, wasting disease, DIGESTIVE & STOMACH PROBLEMS, spitting blood, colds, nasal congestion, diarrhea, and dysentary.))

I know a lady of 98 still going strong, a dear friend of my mom's, gave a plant to my mom and she in turn gave me some starts from it years ago, to help us with stomach problems and I did use it for 3 months once ... and was wonderfully healthy and no digestive problems at all... then I moved and my landlord would not allow me to pull it up. So it took me years to find it again and only this year, I have plenty... so along with my AVC, lettuce and comfrey I plan to get healthy and well.... ohh and I am just starting to use organic coconut oil on my skin ... will let everyone know .... :)

Thanks again !!!

Laying Prone

Posted by at (Clare, USA) on 09/14/2008
★★★★★

I have experienced the extreme discomfort of what I beleive to be gall bladder pain twice in the last year. Both times my symptoms lasted for several hours but were immediatley releived by simply laying down in a prone position. After a few moments the pain completly subsided. If it happens again I will not hesitate to try it at the onset!

Lettuce

Posted by Angela (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) on 05/26/2008
★★★★★

I had about 15 atleast gallbladder attacks in 2 weeks -hospitalized one night as well and they wanted to take out the gallbladder for my "diamonds" gallstones which I'd had for 16 yrs. at least with no probs. except very sick in my 4 pregnancies because of excess bile... The attacks started due to taking digestive enzymes for 2 days and then going off them. The attacks began the next night with coleslaw, sausages, and saurkraut ..but continued for the next 2 weeks pretty much whatever I ate. In my worst attack I practically crawled to the computer to earthclinic.com. The 1/2 cup lettuce cure came up with 2 yeas. Sent son running to store for it and 20 mins. later after eating the 1/2 c. I had complete relief. As one writer speculated that it stimulated the liver to produce digestive enzymes that would stop the body from calling on the gallbladder to produce digestive bile.. So for the next 24 hrs. I ate nothing but iceberg lettuce -lots of it - and slices of organic apple. The next day I tried out eating whatever I wanted which had caused attacks throughout the prev. 2 wks. (except the cabbage/sausages -bad memory!) Even McDonald's failed to give me an attack. I am so thrilled with this cure of course!

Hearing once recently that digestive enz help people lose a lot of weight, I wonder if the stimulation of the liver a couple times a day with particularly iceberg lettuce (as it's supposed to work the best rather than other lettuces) would be a natural weight loss cure as well? I know it seems to make less of the slight puff around my ankles -more definition. So it might also help with fluid retention. As well my new pretty set wrinkles of 6 mos. ago have almost completely disappeared within a few days of ingesting 3x per day atleast (vertical ones beneath my eyes -not the crow's feet). Try it and I'd love to hear your feedback as I'm a personal trainer and would love to see if it helps people lose weight -at least it brings down the glycemic index of each meal you eat it with some.